Curing of coatings through ultraviolet (UV) radiation requires efficient methods of initiating the chemical reaction responsible for the curing process. Curing of polymeric material through generation of radical species upon irradiation with UV light is widely used to produce coatings for medical devices. The paint and lacquer industry also makes use of UV-initiated curing of acrylates, where photoinitiators in many cases are employed. These two examples illustrate the diversity of UV curable coatings.
Until recently, polymers designed for use in coatings have relied on photoinitiators with relatively low molecular weight to initiate polymerization (curing). In addition, polymerization reactions often comprise co-reagents and catalysts of the polymerization process which also have relatively low molecular weight. Low molecular weight substances, and their by-products in the polymerization reaction, are generally difficult to remove from the resultant polymer, but instead remain within the polymer matrix and diffuse slowly to the surface of the polymer during its lifetime. Over time, low molecular weight substances therefore leach from the polymer into the surrounding environment.
This presents particular problems in the polymers used in the medical field, as patient safety considerations limit the amount and type of substance which can leach from a given polymer. This is especially relevant if the polymer is to be used as a coating or adhesive which is designed to be in contact with the inside or outside of the patient's body. Notably, certain low molecular weight co-reagents and catalysts of polyurethane polymerization are toxic to plants and animals (e.g. dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) or 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO)).
Higher molecular weight photoinitiators, in particular polymeric photoinitiators, have comparably higher intrinsic viscosities which most likely result in longer diffusion times through a matrix. Migration of the UV active substances to the surface is therefore diminished when polymeric photoinitiators are used as opposed to lower molecular weight photoinitiators. Scarce literature within the field of polymeric photoinitiators suggests that development of such polymers could lead to novel applications and present solutions for existing needs, such as providing a material with negligent migration of substances to the surface/patient.
Some descriptions of polymeric photoinitiators are found in scientific literature where, for example, 4-amino-4′-[4-aminothiophenyl]benzophenone is polymerized with toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (J. Wei, H. Wang, J. Yin J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem., 45 (2007), 576-587; J. Wei, H. Wang, X. Jiang, J. Yin, Macromolecules, 40 (2007), 2344-2351). Examples of the use of this photoinitiator to polymerize acrylates are also given in this work. A similar strategy is also discussed in J. Wei, F. Liu Macromolecules, 42 (2009), 5486-2351, where 4-[(4-maleimido)thiophenyl]benzophenone was synthesized and polymerized into a macromolecular photoinitiator.
A variety of polymeric photoinitiators other than benzophenone based structures are discussed in T. Corrales, F. Catalina, C. Peinado, N. S. Allen Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 159 (2003), 103-114.
US 2007/0078246 describes different aromatic ketone systems which are substituted on a siloxane polymeric chain.
Benzophenone derivatives with pendant alkyl ether substituents have been described in WO 96/33156. Similar structures are described in WO 98/51759 where benzophenone derivatives with pendant alkyl ether groups are presented. A related type of photoinitiator class is described in WO 2009/060235, where thioxanthone moieties are attached to an oligomeric backbone.
Several photoinitiators (e.g. benzophenone, anthraquinone) with pendant polyalkyl ethers are described in WO 97/49664.
WO 03/033492 discloses thioxanthone derivatives attached to a polyhydroxy residue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,097 details water-soluble photoinitiators where two photoinitiator moieties are bridged together by a polyalkylether of sufficient length to make it water soluble.
Many of the prior art references disclose photoinitiators which are end-substituted onto a polymeric entity. However, the photoefficiency of such substances is limited, as they are large molecular weight molecules comprising comparatively little photoinitiator per unit mass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,916 discloses photoinitiators for the photopolymerization of ethylenically unsaturated compounds, in particular in aqueous systems.
EP 2130817 discloses polymerizable Type II photoinitiators. Radiation curable compositions and inks including the multifunctional Type II photoinitiator are also disclosed.
WO2007/092935 discloses hydroxyalkylaminoalkylthioxanthones. CN101012180 discloses mono-component hydrogen extracting photoinitiators.
Despite previous efforts, there remains a need for novel photoinitiators which can reduce by-products of low molecular weight in a polymerization process, particularly polymerization to form polyurethanes. In addition, it would prove useful to reduce or completely remove the need for low molecular weight polymerization catalysts or co-reagents in the polymerization process.
The present invention provides polymer photoinitiators in which the photoinitiator moiety itself becomes an integral part of the polymer, and remains so, during and after the polymerization process. Leaching of photoinitiator and photoinitiator by-products is therefore reduced or even eliminated.
At the same time, the particular design of the photoinitiator allows a reduction in the amount of or even the elimination of co-reagents and catalysts in the polymerization process. In that such substances are minimised or eliminated, their concentrations in the resulting polymers are also reduced, so that leaching of such substances is correspondingly reduced or eliminated. Polymers likely to improve medical safety are thereby obtained.